The Sanguine Dancer
by Alien Emerald
Summary: Shes wild, weird and all around crazy. She doesnt care what others think of her, whether its singing in class or dancing in the hallways. Despite all of the tragedies and heartbreaks shes encountered throughout her life, her smile is a bright as ever. RxS
1. Fall Facination

The Sanguine Dancer

**The Sanguine Dancer**

**She was wild, weird, and all around crazy. She didn't care what others thought about her, whether it was singing in class or dancing in the hallways. Despite all of the tragedies and heartbreaks she's encountered throughout her life, her smile is a bright as ever. And through the tears and sunsets, she taught me how to do the same. Rich x Kory**

XX

Fall had hit him like a bucket of icy water on a hot day. Even now, he still shivered at the thought of the cold wind slapping against his skin and the leaves crunching beneath his feet. It was, by far, his least favorite season. Summer brought warmth and fun, brightening up the day from beginning to end. Winter brought snow, twinkling white powder that seemed too magical to be real. Spring brought a new sort of beauty, a refreshing breath that signaled the start of a new year, a new life and a fresh start. But fall…fall only brought in a sort of dead feeling. All life had already slipped away, ready to wait out the season. But he couldn't slip away, even though he so wished it be. He could only wait, and watch in hopelessness as all of the magic was washed away. Fall had hit him hard.

But she had hit him harder. She was so utterly fascinating; his attention had been captured instantly. She had been like a wisp of autumn air on his skin, a shock of a refreshing and cool sensation that was entirely new to him. It had been the first day of school, and he had simply come across her dancing in the middle of nowhere. She was completely lost in the rhythm of her steps, and he soon was lost too. Nothing had been the same since that day.

But there had been a time when every thought and regular occurrence began to change. There was a time when something's began to unfold. That time is where this story begins.

XX

Thursday, September 25th, 8:26 AM

There it was. That drifting hum he had waited for every day since the first time he knew it was coming. It was a truly beautiful sound, though he refused to admit that to anyone. It carried effortlessly down the empty hallway, ringing like a bell into the classroom where they all awaited her arrival. And she arrived, as they all expected, with a smile on her face.

"Good morning, Miss Anders," Mr. Mod said, pausing from his intense lecture. "I see you are late, yet again."

No one giggled and snickered this time. Now, everyone seemed to accept the fact that she didn't care for learning, not like the rest of them.

"Good, morning, Mr. Mod!" With a wide grin on her face, she skipped over to the teacher and threw her arms around him. Mr. Mod seemed annoyed, but he seemed to accept the fact that he could do nothing to change her.

At this gesture, the students laughed, still hung up on it. Still hung up on many things.

And he, in a different way, was so completely hung up on her. It was not love, or even a simple crush. It was more of a fascination, an obsession. He didn't feel for her in the least, and yet with every breath she took he found himself wanting to know more about this stranger. And it seemed the deeper he searched, the more staggering and strange she seemed.

XX

It was raining. Sort of a change for early fall. He hated every day of the season, so what was the difference if they got switched around? Opening the front door to his home, he didn't expect to see Bruce standing there.

"Richard," Bruce nodded, his way of saying hello. "We're going to a business outing tonight, so go get cleaned up."

"I'm not going."

Bruce was taken aback by his sudden comment, and soon the war began. "As sure as heck you are."

"Why should I? You've never done anything for me."

"I gave you a home when no one else could, with food and warmth. Sure, I've not been the best father, but at least you aren't out on the streets or in an orphanage."

Richard hated it, more than anything, when Bruce brought up the fact that he had provided for him. Because he had not, in the least, been there for him.

"Plus," Bruce continued, "by me taking you to social outings of my own, you are much more likely to have a good reputation when you inherit Wayne Enterprises."

"What if I don't want to inherit your company?" Richard spat.

"You don't have a choice."

"Why do you have to put this crap on me now?!" Richard yelled, fed up with Bruce's oversized ego. "I'm just a kid!"

It fell silent then. Without a word, or even a gesture, they both knew it was a lie. Richard was not a kid. Or, at least, not a normal one. They hit a wall in their argument, and neither acknowledged the words Richard had spoken. There was no need.

Without so much as a blink of an eye, Richard went upstairs to his room to wait out the night. Bruce, already ready to go to his event, headed out the door to where he was needed. Without Richard.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Ok, just so you know, the rest of the chapters are going to be a LOT longer and MUCH better. And for every single person who reviews, I will credit them in the next chapter PLUS post a comment about them, just like I did in Bug. **

**Please review, I promise you won't be disappointed with this story!**

**-Alien**

**P.S. 'Sanguine' (hence the title), means cheerfully optimistic. You'll see why I chose the title in the later chapters.**


	2. The Things We Share Are So Different

Still not enough reviews

**Still not enough reviews! But thanks SO much to those who did: ****chicagonebananas**** (who remember from somewhere…I don't know where…), ****katara12171**** (one of my most faithful reviewers!), ****amethyst-dreams27**** (so many compliments!! My new best buddy!!), ****kjesStar**** (my also most-faithful reviewer! Who rocks SO much!).**

**I always post little comments about people next to their name. All the more reason to review!**

Friday, September 26th, 5:28 AM

The morning came with no abrupt shock to Richard. It had come slowly, evenly, as he gradually had woken up from his peaceful night. It was three hours before school began, two hours before he normally got up, but he prepared for school anyways. Skipping breakfast, he headed out into the freezing mist some people call morning.

Then, in a slow creeping-like-way, came all that he saw every day. There was the fancy mansions of his neighborhood, the poverty-stricken homes a few blocks away, and then the peaceful park that was now yellow and brown. Slowing down to enjoy the trees, even though they were covered with the season of fall, he saw someone out of the corner of his eye.

His first reaction, once seeing the body lying motionlessly on a picnic table, was not that they were dead or hurt. He knew for a fact that they were sleeping, but it still surprised him just as much. Soon, he could tell it was a girl, with long red hair and a frail body. And at first glance, you could see a smile on her face. But when looked upon further, the soft smile was a full-blown grin, with elation and joyousness radiating off their face. He wondered why Kory was so different, so strange.

XX

It had been a long day, a jumbled rush that was now just a blur in his head. He wanted nothing more than to be alone, just to be away from the world he thought so strange. He enjoyed solitude, just being able to be alone with no other soul in sight. He hated to have that secure feeling disturbed, to have another person disrupt his steady breathing. Because he was only truly stable when he didn't have to deal with the crap of the world, only his own mind. He could never describe the feeling, the deep hatred that he felt for the rest of the human population. They were all stupid and immature, caring about the stupidest things, all hung up on their lives. At times he wished he could live in the middle of no where, with no other person to come in contact with, just himself. But he knew that wasn't possible. So, he did his best to live alone in his own bubble.

So, that's why, for the third time in a row, he turned down his friends offer to go hang out around town that Friday evening. He knew they would be down near the mall complex, as would the rest of the teen populace, so he walked off towards the park, where he knew no one else would be. Ignoring the howling wind that constantly blew at his hair, knocking it every which way, he walked as fast as he could towards the park.

Upon arriving, he was immediately determined to stay far away from the trees. He wasn't too keen on having dead leaves falling on him every second. So, he decided to go find a picnic table he had recently become accustomed to in his prior days of solitude. But, he soon realized that sitting there was out of the question.

He recognized her face immediately, not needing a second glance. Kory Anders was sitting, or rather meditating, on the top of the picnic table, eyes closed and hands turned up to the sky. She was obviously oblivious to any sort of movement around her, for she let the wind and leaves blow freely over her body and through her hair. Not wanting to disturb her, but rather infuriated that his spot was taken, he walked away quietly. He had gotten quite far, until he heard a noise.

It was unclear what type of noise it was, whether it was made by another person or just by the wind and leaves. But, it encouraged him to turn around anyways. Kory, further away now, had opened one eye to the world, and that eye was staring directly at Richard.

"Uh, hi," he muttered, almost positive she wouldn't be able to hear him over the roar of the wind.

Her other eye opened and a wide grin spread across her face, her meditation stance broken. "Greetings!"

Before he could blink, she was ahead of him, already at the place _he _was going to go to. Two different emotions took over, and he was split between the choosing. Delight, for one, because he was oddly happy that she had noticed him, that they had crossed paths. He was, in fact, overjoyed that he hadn't continued on his own way, and she on hers, but instead came together. And anger, for his patience was beginning to wear thin, because he had waited all day long to finally be alone. He was ready for solitude, and she had ruined that option.

But, despite his controversial emotions, he moved to where she sat on the side of the fountain. She dipped her bare feet in to the water, reveling in the feeling of the icy-cold water on her skin. He, of course, preferred to stay warm and dry on that cold and windy day.

Though he already knew what she had been doing before, he asked anyways, just as a start to the conversation.

"I was being nothing," was her answer.

"Being nothing?" He was confused now. He was sure she had been meditating.

"I was letting myself dissolve, forget everything but the wind and the leaves. So soon, I became a part of the wind and leaves. I became nothing."

Shocking, yes, what she thought. It was odd seeing it from another perspective, but it made so much more sense. In a way, he wished he could do the same as her. He wanted to be nothing, because the way she described it seemed nice. "Why can't you just go for a walk instead?"

"I wished to forget my troubles in a different way."

"What troubles?" How could _she, _the bubbly and happy girl that she was, have any troubles at all?

"I have things that trouble me, just like the rest of the world." Never once would she look him in the eye, never had she before.

"You aren't like the rest of the world. You're completely different and weird, always happy and never sad. How could you _ever _have anything that troubles you?" Before he could stop it, it slipped out. He wished he could take it back, because he knew she would take it offensively.

"Maybe," she whispered, her voice calm, "I'm not like the rest of the world. Maybe I'm different because I want to be. Maybe I want to do things my own way."

She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with something he had long forgotten the name of. For the first time, he noticed how truly gorgeous she was. It was breathtaking, and completely intoxicating. He was hypnotized, and couldn't look away. Not in a million years.

"Maybe," she continued, her voice not heard through his ears, "the rest of the world is weird, and I'm the only normal one."

XX

**The story still hasn't reached it's full potential, but it will only get better from here!**

**Review, review, review!  
**

**-Alien**


	3. Cookies and Confessions

A million thanks to my reviewers:

**Yay! I got a lot more reviews this time! Thanks to all the people who made that possible: ****dsangel12**** (who reminded me to post the disclaimer), ****katara12171**** (who is an awesome lover-of-my-plots), ****linkinparkh2over**** (who wins the award for the most descriptive review! sniff), ****xStarfirexRobinxo**** (who wins the award for best punctuation and grammar in a review! If you know how I message people, you'd know that's my style), ****musiclover9419**** (who wins MY favorite award: the shortest review award! Not that short reviews are a good thing…I just like embarrassing people. ;)), ****amethyst-dreams27**** (who guessed my evil plot to persuade people to review!), ****kjesStar**** (no, you do not need a bad guy to have a good story!), ****cartoonfire**** (who is awesome), ****RobinxStarfireLuvr**** (who wins the award for most enthusiastic review), and ****Eve Royal**** (who was very happy to see that I had changed to a happy plot.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. Hell, if I owned the show, do you honestly think I would be wasting my time with you people?! Just kidding! And, I DO NOT OWN THE PLOT TO THIS STORY! The plot belongs entirely to Jerry Spinelli, who inspired me to write this when I read his book 'Love, Stargirl.' Despite the changes I've made in making the story my own, I do not take credit for coming up with this on my own. For those who have read the book, you might realize it a bit more when you read this chapter.**

Sunday, September 28th, 2:42 PM

The little bell atop the door rang, recognizing another customer walking into the bakery. It was Kory Anders, a well-known face among the people working there. She made her way to an un-occupied booth, waiting for the typical order of the store to fall into place. As expected, a pair of curious eyes popped over the top of the counter, delight jumping from them right as they noticed who was there. The eyes disappeared, and a loud squeal came from the little girl who darted around the counter, crashing into Kory in a happy heap. Kory smiled, hugging the child right back.

"Starry!" Julie squealed, hugging Kory until her face turned purple. "Where were you?!"

"I'm sorry, Julie," 'Starry' said, "I was busy."

"With what?" Nothing, not even the most boring of subjects, could go un-questioned by Julie. The raging inquisition showed that she, not only curious, was very interested.

"Stuff."

"Oh." And, just like that, Julie no longer needed to know. It was an unspoken rule between them: 'stuff' was not important.

Pulling Julie up so she sat on her lap, Kory awaited the ideas that Julie had come up with. Stuff to do, things to see; nothing was ever quiet among them. But, instead of a jumbled one-sided conversation, Julie tugged on Kory's hair instead.

"You're not happy," was all she said.

"I'm fine." Just to prove her right, Kory smiled the biggest smile she could muster.

"B.S."

"It's nothing you need to worry about." In a desperate attempt to ward off Julie's questions, Kory turned Julie around and began to braid her curly blonde hair.

But, despite the fact that her back was facing Kory, it did not stop Julie's questions. "Is it a boy?"

There were moments, like now, when Kory wished she could lie to Julie. Even just not tell her, and use her 'stuff' excuse. But, in all truth, Julie was all she had. She was her only friend, the only one with eyes that never judged. So, she did not try to lie. "Yes."

"Are you in love?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"It's…," Kory paused, searching for the right words, "complicated."

"I'm really good at puzzles."

Julie was, indeed, good at puzzles. "Well," she began, "he's-"

"Wait!" Julie interrupted. Jumping up, she ran to the kitchen to get who knows what. Running back only a few seconds later, she handed Kory two cookies (one her mom gave her and the other she snuck) and began munching on her own two.

Kory smiled, taking a bite of her cookie, and continued. "He's always looking in my direction." She paused, trying so hard to try to explain it in words, let alone words Julie could understand. "It's like he's searching for something in me, trying to find the truth that no one else seems to see." Julie looked up at her with big blue eyes, listening attentively. "But today, I was proved wrong. I found out that he's just like the others, just thought of me as an outcast. All that was different about him was the fact that he had the courage to say something to me. All he wanted to know was why I had chosen the different way of life."

It was an impossible subject for a five year old to grasp, and she didn't expect Julie to understand anything that deep. "Why did you choose the different path?" But, she prided her in the fact that she understood most things other five year olds couldn't.

"Because," Kory answered, smiling down at the chocolate smeared child, "it was my path to choose."

XX

**Notice that I'm updating pretty quick here, so that's why the chapters are a bit short. I feel the story is slightly rushed, but I'm horrible at making it long. So, I apologize if it's rushed. **

**I posted this sooner because I'll be away for 4 days. I promise when I get back I'll update, and I won't make you wait for more than a day for the next chapter to be up. Happy 4****th**** of July!**

**-Alien**


	4. Why She Dances

Thanks to my awesome reviewers

**Thanks for waiting! I tried hard to get this done fast so I could post it, but I was so busy! So, I apologize for making you all wait an extra day. But, I had a fun 4****th**** of July, and I hope you all did too. **

**Thanks to my awesome reviewers! This story is not worth your words: ****xStarfirexRobinxo**** (thanks GOD someone thinks it's not rushed!), ****katara12171**** (who likes my really bad stories, and makes me feel good), ****Eve Royal**** (Happy Canada Day!!), ****amethyst-dreams27**** (who, for some reason, is really high up on my favorite reviewers list), ****Rainbow Queen**** (almost the shortest review!), ****dsangel12**** (who wins for the shortest review!), ****kjesStar**** (who always give awesome reviews that make me smile), ****cartoonfire**** (yes, five year olds give AWESOME advice!), ****musiclover9419**** (not as short as the others!), Erifrats101 (no, not all of my stories are great), and linkinparkh2over (who wins the most descriptive review award again!)**

XX

Monday, September 29th, 12:06 PM

It was lunch, and he hadn't eaten a thing in two days, but he wasn't hungry. Not since his screw up with Kory. It had only been once she left had he realized what a mistake he had made. He kept telling himself that there was no use in crying over something that was now out of his control. But, that didn't stop him from feeling horrible about it.

"Richard." He was sure someone called his name, but his mushy food held all of his attention. "Richard!"

He looked up from his tray to see Garfield, madly waving his arms in front of him. "Rich, you have to come see this." Unwillingly pulled from his seat, Richard was dragged outside and into a big crowd. As they got further and further into the deep mass of students, he found himself more and more reluctant to take another step. And as they reached the very edge of the crowd, he wished he hadn't come at all.

Kory Anders, the star attraction, was happily dancing on a bench, twirling around with her eyes closed to the world. There was no dance floor, no music, and no other dancers, but she danced on anyways, not caring about the repercussions.

But he did. He wasn't the one dancing in front of a hundred other students, nor was he the one being laughed at. But, he seemed to experience every emotion she should have been feeling. The humility, the embarrassment, the isolation. It all filled him from head to toe, and he wanted nothing more than for it to stop. He wanted to pull her right of the bench and out of the spotlight, but he couldn't get his limbs to function. They saw a girl embarrassing herself, a girl being stupid. But he saw something else entirely. He saw a girl that fascinated him beyond comprehension, a girl that was like no other. A girl, a person, he wished to know the secrets of.

Before he could blink, he was alone with her, and everyone had gone to class. For some reason, the humility stayed avid in his body, and would continue to make him dizzy until she stopped dancing. "Kory," he spoke, trying in vain to get her attention. "Kory!"

She stopped twirling, turning to look at him with glazed eyes. She was dreaming, far away from earth and out of his grasp. She had heard his voice, but she didn't seem to register much else. "Hello Richard." And yet, she seemed completely sober.

He took no time in stalling, and no time in thinking. The words came naturally, "Kory, I'm sorry about last time. I didn't mean what I said. I mean, I meant to say something, it just didn't come out right."

An elated and giddy grin spread across her face, the one that lit up the room every time she came to school. It was something he saw every day, and each time it made his heart flutter. But, now, it was different. Sincere wasn't the right word for it, because her smiles were always sincere. Now, her smile was sheer beauty. It was full of warmth and gratitude, instead of her usual enchanted grin. It spoke the only thing he wanted to hear: forgiveness.

"What did you mean to say?" Through every word, her smile stayed wide and vibrant.

"I meant to ask you why you're this way," he said. "Why are you so different?"

She was sitting, now. Her eyes were shining up at the sky, her smile died down, but still alive on her face. "To me, a leaf will fall and my heart will ache, and flowers will bloom and I will dance. No one else sees the sun drop in the sky; no one sees the beginning of each season, of each day. I see things differently than others."

He could have thought for hours on end, but none of it would have made sense. In a desperate attempt to understand what she meant, he tried dissecting her words. "How do you see things differently? What do you see differently?"

She smiled up at him, her beauty taking his breath away once again. "You'll have to learn." And then, she walked away.

And he wanted, right now, more than anything, to learn how to see things differently. Because, in all truth, he was sick of the world he saw now. And he was pretty sure no other perspective would make it look any better.

XX

In the weeks that came by so swiftly, and the events that followed, Richard found himself learning more each day. There was no longer an option of following along or not; this was essential. He wouldn't back down from this, because he found himself wanting it more than anything he could remember. It was hard, though, trying to understand things that were on a completely different level. And it seemed the more he found out, the more he became confused.

XX

**Choppy AND rushed. Whatdya know, I can be a sucky author… Well, not that that's news to anyone…**

**Review please! It helps so much!**

**-Alien**


	5. The Meet of Approval

You guys are officially the best

**You guys are officially the best. Officially. Thanks to (drum roll please): ****Eve Royal**** (who gave me THE BEST idea for the ending of this story), ****RobinxStarfireLuvr**** (who gave me an awesome review), ****xStarfirexRobinxo**** (who gave me my favorite review, compliment after compliment), ****musiclover9419**** (who, not surprisingly, won the shortest review contest!), Rain (whoever that is. That's all they signed), ****kjesStar**** (ok, I take it back. THIS was my favorite review!), ****TooAwesomeToRequireAName**** (who has an awesome screen name. Shun me if I've said it before), ****cartoonfire**** (who I agree with entirely. Except for my writing being perfect….pfft.)**

**Read on!**

Sunday, October 5th, 4:48 PM

"I was wrong."

Julie slurped loudly in a desperate attempt to empty the cup of the rest of the chocolate shake. Disappointed that there was none left, she turned her attention to Kory. "'Bout what?"

"Richard isn't like the others."

"Oh." Pausing, she stopped dead in her tracks. They had been heading towards the beach, their blankets and tissues ready for their weekly ritual. The sand flew forward at Julie's sudden stop, her bare feet covered in tiny pebbles. "Who's Richard?"

At this, Kory realized she hadn't mentioned his name when she had told Julie about him. "He's the boy I told you about."

"Oh. So he's not a jerkface?"

"No. He's not a jerkface."

"Then what is he?"

"A person…," she searched for the right words, something she had to do often, "who wants to understand."

"I wanna meet him!" Julie shouted. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, Kory left their things under a tree and lead Julie to the park, where she assumed he would be. Julie followed without question, seemingly knowing where she was being drug.

"Is that him?" Julie pointed out a young teen sitting under a tree, automatically suspecting the first person she saw. And quite surprisingly, because Kory didn't even know he would be here, Julie was right.

Kory felt the strangest urge to lie to Julie, to say that that wasn't him, and that he wasn't here. Just so they could turn around and walk back the way they came, continuing their day without disturbance. But she didn't, because it was not right to deprive Julie of such things. "Yes," she answered, letting going of Julie's hand, "that's him."

Big mistake. The moment Julie heard her answer, she ran as fast as she could to where Richard was sleeping peacefully. She jumped onto him, and from 30 yards away, Kory could hear the "oof!" of the impact.

"Julie!" Kory ran after her, but was too late. She had already begun to tug at his ears and pull at his hair, a million questions tumbling out of her mouth. "What's your favorite color? Who's your best friend? How did you get here? How long have you been here? Do you do this often? Why don't you come with us?"

"Julie, stop it!"

One-hundred percent relaxed, as if a rambunctious five-year-old _hadn't_ just jumped on his stomach, he breathed a deep breath. "Red, I have lots, I walked, an hour, sort of, and I don't know where you're going."

Julie smiled, a bright and confident smile, reassuring both Richard and Kory that she was happy with what she found. She got off of Richard and skipped over to Kory, whispering in her ear just loud enough for Richard to hear. "I like him."

Kory giggled, an uncontrollable burst of hysteria, and neither of them knew why she wouldn't stop. It continued until she began to cry and her stomach began to ache. Then, with a giddy smile on her face, she stopped her laughing. "Richard," she began, seriousness etching its way into her voice, "I believe Julie wants you to come along with us."

Julie, not usually one to disagree, put up a hand in protest. Kory, not taking her eyes off of Richard, pushed it back down to Julie's side. "Would you like to come?"

"Sure." Getting swiftly to his feet, he followed Kory and Julie down the path that lead to the beach. They carried the blanket, and he carried the extra-large tissue box, and watched as they set up camp.

And he watched, for the rest of the night, every movement they made and listened to every word they spoke. The sun set, and Julie and Kory were crying silently, both of their faces wet and red. They blotted their faces with tissues occasionally, all until the entire box was used up. And for every new star that appeared (they tried their best to keep track) they cheered and clapped, smiling brightly throughout it all.

When the moon was in the middle of the sky and all the stars had set, was when Richard dared to make a noise. Julie had long since fallen asleep, and it was just Kory and Richard who watched in awe as the stars twinkled and blurred. "Why do you do this?"

"It's the end of a week that will never be here again. We celebrate the death of the week, and the birth of another. I do this every night, but Julie only comes with me on Sundays."

"Why?"

"Because you only get to live once," was her hushed answer. And in the answer, he could see a million other words. The day would live for a number of hours, a tree a number of years, a minute a few seconds. And never, not in the rest of eternity, would they live again.

And for the first time in a long time, he found it easy to cry. He let himself shed the tears of the pain of the day, the pain of the week, the pain of the year. He let himself sob over every subject that was worth crying about, whether it was tears of joy or tears of anger. He let it all flow effortlessly, all until he was fast asleep with a million pounds lifted from his chest.

XX

**It was long…ish. Sorry for the…um…I think I've pretty much covered most of my faults… Let me know if I missed anything.**

**Review! I am no longer low enough to sink down and kiss your feet for a review…. But if you ask nicely, I just might do it.**

**-Alien**


	6. Deluding Reasons

There are no words to describe my gratitude

**There are no words to describe my gratitude! I'm in a HUGE hurry right now, so I deeply appoligize for not putting up my usual thanks and comments to people. I will do it next time, though, I promise! I love you all!**

Tuesday, October 14th, 4:09 PM

He had begun to fall into Kory and Julie's weekly ritual, and had agreed upon going with them each Sunday. It gave him a sense of relief, a sense of fulfillment, to do what they did. He had learned so much, and it had only been twice that he had gone. In secret, he just enjoyed being alone with Kory. She was fascinating; every word she said was new to him and completely captivating.

He had decided to go to the park, expecting to be alone. He knew Kory was usually with Julie at the time, and he didn't expect her to be there. But she was. It didn't shock him anymore to see her in the park, doing something strange. But he had recently assumed he knew about all of the things she did in her spare time. Yet, there she was, sitting facing a tree whose leaves had finished falling. She didn't touch the pile of leaves, not even look at them. She only stared at the leaf that fell in that moment, watching with a sad look on her face. As if she was saying goodbye to someone she truly loved.

He would have asked her what she was doing. He would have asked her how she could sit there watching leaves. But, he didn't. He was content in simply watching her watch the leaves. It was a strange enjoyment, and he felt giddy watching her sit there alone. He didn't dare disturb whatever she had been doing, so he did not dare disturb what he was doing, either. Just watching.

He had ran over, a million times, in his head what Kory could have been doing. She could have been watching leaves fall, a very obvious answer. She could have been watching the tree sway, or even listening to the sounds around her. But he had a feeling it was much, much deeper than that. That there was some sort of reason behind her strange action, because there was a reason behind all of her actions.

These leaves…these leaves meant more to her than just what they appeared to be. They were a living thing, and they had a soul. Just like the sunset, it was the end of these leaves, for they would never grow again. So, silently, painfully, she mourned the death of the lives that had lived for two seasons. And she respected them, in each and every way, as they fell to the ground in their last breath.

So he, in some strange way, began to understand her. And she, like the leaves, was respected.

XX

Sunday, October 19th, 9:14 AM

It was sad. Even though he had never met the man, it still hurt him deeply to be there. He had known the man had been on a life-support system after an unexpected seizure, unable to talk or walk, and in deep pain. Well, he assumed he must have been in deep pain. The students who had been in Mr. Lawry's class were there, all shedding a few tears now and then. He wasn't crying, but he was pretty depressed.

They were in the middle of the football field at the school, in memory of the teacher's love of physical activities. Cherry blossoms were scattered around his oak casket, and everyone was gathered in a circle around it. The priest was in the middle, above his casket, loudly preaching words of sorrow and lament. Soon, his words were finished, and the stage was free for any student who wished to say words of remembrance.

A line was quickly formed for the stage, and each student dragged on about the teacher. Eventually, all attention was lost, and no one cared to listen to the already-said words. Tears were shed on the spotlight, and everyone clapped as the weeping student left to join the crowd. Soon, the line was gone, and no more students wished to say anything.

"Is there anyone else who would like to say something?" the principal asked the students, searching through the crowd for anyone who dared speak up.

"I would like to," came a voice. And in an instant, he was immediately filled with fear. A few students whispered to each other, and some others gasped and groaned.

Kory walked to the spot above Mr. Lawry's casket, her hands folded over her yellow sundress. "I didn't know him very well. I'm sure he was a wonderful teacher, and a wonderful man. He had an unusual seizure, and was in tremendous pain for the days that followed. He is much better off this way." Everyone gasped. "He was hooked up to a machine, unable to move or speak. To live the rest of your life that way would have been unbearable, and I'm sure he's much happier with the pain gone. Even though we all miss him so, we should be happy that he has passed."

No one spoke. No one moved. He couldn't even blink, and he was sure no one else could. Kory left the stage with a bright smile, leaving everyone in a state of shock. She was _happy _the man had died. The way he saw it, death was not a happy thing. The students were dismissed, and he went with them. He didn't feel like questioning her today.

XX

**I decided to combine two chapters because they were too short to post for you awesome people. Oh, and thanks to everyone who's putting me on their alert and favorites. It's almost as good as a review!**

**-Alien**


	7. It's Magic

Thanks to…lots more people:

**Thanks to…lots more people: ****TooAwesomeToRequireAName**** (who still has the coolest name), ****katara12171**** (who has been an awesome fan, and who I am proud of), ****musiclover9419**** (who, like me, had a brain-fart), ****xStarfirexRobinxo**** (whose reviews make me smile!), ****amethyst-dreams27**** (who thinks I'm not rushing it! YAY!), linkinparkh2over (who has an odd sentence structure), ****kjesStar**** (ah, my friend, there will be conflict soon! Just read on!), ****Eve Royal**** (who gave me a new saying: if you're going to live, it should be full of life), ****cartoonfire**** (who said the most in the shortest paragraph!), ****writing4eva**** (who is an awesome fan), ****HaruTohruLove**** (a new reviewer! YAY NEW REVIEWER!!)**

**Here comes the beginning of the conflict. I'm telling you this in kjesStar's honor.**

Saturday, October 25th, 9:28 AM 

Time with her began to change him. He found out much about her, and not just what she enjoyed most. He found out why she enjoyed it, and what made it so special. To him, it meant very little compared to what she felt. But nonetheless, he still learned what she had meant by her words.

It was Saturday, and he was looking forward to sleeping in. His mental alarm clock had woken him up at six that morning, but he had no problem going back to sleep. He had agreed with himself that Saturdays would be his nothing days, and he would be nothing. He wouldn't do as Kory, though, and meditate in the park. He decided on relaxing at home, away from technology, and sleeping till his heart was content. There was too much to think about to just sit and turn things over in his mind.

Even though it was almost 9:30, he still didn't want to get up. But, despite his complaints, a thumping sound continued to make him less and less sleepy. He decided to see what it was, and he knew the first time he saw a rock hit his window. Kory was standing in his front yard, hair in a mess and her pink dress scattered about her body, throwing rocks at Richard's window in a desperate attempt to get his attention.

He ran downstairs in a hurry, not thinking about the choices he had. "What do you need?" he asked her once he was on the front porch, panting hard.

"Hurry!" She didn't bother telling him where they were going or what they were doing. She just grabbed his wrist and broke into a run. He had to admit, she was an amazing runner. She kept a fast pace going for at least a mile, and finally dragged him to a stop next to a large maple tree.

She climbed to the top of the tree, her limbs moving with smooth dexterity. He was expected to follow, he knew. So, he followed her to the top of the tree, where her eyes were hypnotized by a birds nest with three yellow eggs. It was beautiful, he had to admit. To see something that you didn't see often, if ever, was always something that got to him. But _she_ was completely immobilized by it. Her eyes glistened with tears that refused to fall, and her hands were held at her chest in pure admiration.

Then the eggs wiggled and cracked, and soon three bald baby birds were born. It was touching, and slightly painful, to see such beautiful things be born before your eyes, and somehow know that their life wouldn't be everything it could have been. The mother was gone, and they both knew she wasn't coming back. But, it still did not take away the marvel and splendor of the hatchlings. It could never, would never, take away the wonder of something like this. It was different, and all together strange, for birth to happen, when you thought about it. And it was weird, in a beautiful and magical way, for something like this to happen.

_She's different, she's strange…. _The words rang in his head until he could no longer hear the birds helpless chirping. His blood pulsed hot and fast through his ears, and his mind was paralyzed.

_And she's weird, in a beautiful and magical way. _The way she saw the world was weird, because she sees everything as beautiful and magical. Unlike everyone else on this planet, she saw things as they should have been seen, from the very beginning. It was clear to him now what she had meant from the first time they'd met, from the first time they'd truly talked. And to him, it was so completely unfair for her to be treated the way she was by others.

He had turned his head, just to look at her, and found her doing the same. Before he could react, before he could even breathe, their lips were touching. It was a soft and silent kiss, almost a whisper. But his head was reeling, and he completely forgot how to breathe. It was a shock of every emotion he knew that raced through his body at once, and in the same time, he stayed completely neutral.

There was no definite answer for his question, the one he asked over and over in his head. _Do I love her? _Because he didn't think he did, nor did he care. It was a simple fact that they felt something for each other, whether it had been true friendship or true love. And he didn't search for an answer, not even a clue, because he didn't need to know.

XX

**How many times must I say, I know it was a short chapter. It was a good chapter, though. At least it was better than the others. I will update the next chapter this Thursday! **

**Review please!  
**

**-Alien**


	8. The Mourning of our Lives

Sunday, October 26th, 8:49 AM

**Thanks to: ****RobinxStarfireLuvr**** (who told her friends about my upcoming story, which is the most any fan has ever done for me!), ****cartoonfire**** (who wins the award for most enthusiastic review!), ****musiclover9419**** (who wins the award for the shortest review!), ****Eve Royal**** (who wrote a very funny review, AND gave me a story title! pats head), ****katara12171**** (who will be gone for a week! :( ), ****TooAwesomeToRequireAName**** (whose review was short, but name is still cool), ****xStarfirexRobinxo**** (who screamed when she saw that I updated! Woohoo! Bonus for me!), ****amethyst-dreams27**** (who discovered my true identity! He he…), ****kjesStar**** (who lives two days ahead of me!)**

**I love you all!**

Sunday, October 26th, 8:49 AM

He got up much earlier than he was planning. He felt more like going for a walk instead of staying at home. Bruce had been busy for days, he was sure. The mail Alfred had brought in from Thursday and the Sunday paper were all in a pile on the kitchen table, awaiting Bruce's decision to glance at them. He didn't see why Bruce still had the paper delivered. It was a waste, and he never even bothered to read it.

Feeling slightly guilty, he decided to check out a few headlines. At least the paper wouldn't be _completely _useless. 'Twin babies born,' and 'Divorce trial gone to the dogs,' were a few of the side stories. 'Two people killed in fire,' and below that, in smaller letters 'Investigators say fire was set intentionally.' He decided on reading that, because he was a fan of murder cases. He read over the story quickly, but stopped short at the words that caught his eye. 'Investigators report that the incident is closely related to the Anders murder, dated three years back.'

Kory Anders… That was the only connection he made as he quickly surfed the internet, trying to find information on the Anders murder case. The news bulletin appeared on his second try, and he quickly read through it. What he found shocked him: a fire was purposely lit to the Anders' forest cabin, and only Kory Anders, their 13 year old daughter, survived. Her parents, and her older sister, had died trying to save her.

He didn't have time to think. He didn't need the time. He just printed out the page of information, and sprinted to the park, where he knew Kory would be. She was there, meditating in her usual spot on the picnic bench. This time, he did disturb her, and he didn't try to be gentle about it.

"Kory!" She opened her eyes, staring first at him and then at the page of paper shoved in front of her face. "How come you never told me?!"

It took her a moment to register everything, and another moment to read the paper. "Because I didn't think you needed to know…," she whispered, not daring to look into his raging eyes.

"We've shared everything with each other!" he fumed. "How could you not mention something this big?"

He was trying to be quieter now, realizing that she did not like his raised voice. "How could you not cry?"

"Because," she began, still whispering, "there was no need to cry."

"Kory, your parents died. I told you about my parents' death, right? Well, I cried for years. I still cry. But you…you're happy every day, like nothing's ever wrong."

"Because nothing is wrong, Richard."

He was furious, now. She had no reason to be so strong after such a tragedy. After she had lost everything she knew, she smiled every day. "So, you're glad your parents are dead, then?!"

"Being happy that it happened is different from moving on," she said. He was pretty sure, but he could be positive, that she was crying. But he didn't care anymore.

"People cry for years when their pets run away! You lost everything you knew, and you smile and laugh every day of your life! You cry for leaves and birds, but you don't cry for the death of your family?!"

She was sobbing, now. It was too much pressure, too much to handle at once. "Their death taught me everything I know now. It meant something, Richard! It taught me that life can slip away in a few short moments, and you can never expect it to go on another day. It taught me that dying is a part of life, and it's not something you can stop.

"I cried for weeks. Months, maybe. I loved them, and I didn't want them to go! I refused to accept the fact that they were gone. But once I did, I moved on. I smiled and felt better every day."

This changed everything for him, and for her. Everything he thought about her, everything he thought as unique and magical, was just a hoax, just a joke. It hurt him to think she didn't care for them, but cared about a leaf. He thought of it as pointless, now. Everything he'd learned from her made no sense, and he called it stupid. There was no point in continuing like this.

He had been right in the first place. No matter how you look at life, it was all filled with shadows and tears.

XX

**Short, but with a lot of information to it. That's my style, I suppose. My horrible writing style… Only one more chapter till the end!**

**Go read corgisrockbutt's stories. They are SO FREAKING HALARIOUS, I nearly peed my pants reading them. Especially if you like Harry Potter…and otters…**

**-Alien**


	9. Seasons Change

LAST CHAPTER

**LAST CHAPTER!! Thanks to all who reviewed and remained supportive till the end…and even the people who just started to review! I love you all! I'm not going to put the names up, because I know you all know who you are! Stay tuned for a sneak preview of my upcoming stories at the end!**

XX

It was spring, now. Spring break had just ended, and he couldn't deny that it had been the most miserable week of his life. But, he couldn't complain. There was nothing better to do anymore, and there was no use in sitting around. He had learned that long ago.

The weeks he'd spent doing nothing seemed to replay themselves in his head, all the days going by in a huge rush. Though he could hardly even think it without an onset of depression, the weeks went by like they had been before, without Kory. He couldn't tell if they were better or worse, or even if he even cared anymore. They just seemed to go by without any effort on his part, and he didn't mind not being able to concentrate. Thinking seemed to be painful, now.

His sudden awakening had come when he was dragged outside to the courtyard, like many months ago. And just like before, Kory was dancing on the wooden picnic bench, with a crowd gathered around her. He didn't feel the embarrassment now. Instead, he found himself laughing along with the others. He was being cruel, he told himself. A little voice in the back of his head nagged at him until he listened, and his laughter stopped. As if he had traveled back in time, a vast wave of déjà vu swept over him, and it seemed to change every aspect of his thoughts.

He had been wrong. So completely and utterly wrong. He had been wrong the first time he had thought he understood her, and even further from the truth the second time. She didn't do this for attention, or even because she was celebrating something. And he had been wrong in saying she didn't care about her parents, because he knew she did. She smiled because she had moved forward, and found a way to look at things with a smile on her face, in honor of her parents.

So, in secret, Kory cried each day of her life, for nearly every time she saw something that made her lips turn up towards her eyes. She cried differently (strangely, weirdly, and so completely uniquely) than the rest of the world; she smiled, instead. She smiled over her parents' death, remembering them every time she danced, cried, celebrated, and meditated, all in their honor.

They had taught her everything she knew today. Their death had taught her that every day is worth living, and even for the things that don't speak or breathe, every day is worth celebrating. Kory Anders had taught him everything he now knew. He looked at life differently, now. He knew that nothing lasted forever, so every thing was worth smiling at.

So, he did. He smiled the biggest smile he could muster, forgetting every movement and sound around him. He picked up his feet and moved forward, towards Kory, towards the bench, and danced. He forgot the crowd, not remembering they were there to disagree. He just remembered Kory; because there was no way he could ever forget her. He remembered the girl who accepted him, the girl who accepted everything, and he remembered his truest friend.

And he danced. He danced to celebrate this new life he was happy to move forward into. And he was sure Kory was dancing for the same thing.

**XX**

**And, THE END.**

**I wish I could do the funky letter things with that…**

**Waaaaaaa!! It's over!! I can't believe it! This is, like, one of my favoritest stories I've written! This SUCKS that it's over!! Hmm…maybe I should make a sequel… But how? Ideas please!**

**Anywho, please let me know what you thought of it! I desperately tried to go for the less-detailed and much more straightforward writing style, but I have a feeling I didn't succeed. Tell me what you thought. If you've read my other stories, you can't say it wasn't a change in my writing. **

**Now, for the sneak-preview! **

**Frail Glass**

**These insecurities are what make us human. But she, the radiant princess, had no right to feel such tottery. Her emerald eyes had no right to be filled with such sorrows. She had absolutely no right, but so many reasons. (About Starfire falling into depression) Not really a romance. I just wanted to try out my share of capturing the essence of depression. It might suck, but I just wanted to experiment.**

**Stir**

'**PRISON AREA: PICKING UP HITCH HIKERS IS PROHIBITED' But he had ignored that sign. Instead, the car had come to a screeching halt next to the girl on the side of the road. With a thousand looks in her eyes he couldn't describe, she had evoked every emotion within him and it was all he could to do keep from letting them loose. He opened the passenger door, mimicking her crooked smile. "Get in."**

**Let me know what you think of them, and if you're going to read them. Thanks so much, everyone!**

**-Alien**


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